Study of a Man's Head
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Purchased for the Museum by the Advisory Council
Accession Number
1921-6-491-6
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Antoine Watteau’s “Study of a Man’s Head” offers a glimpse into the French artist’s celebrated draftsmanship. Although Watteau died in 1721, this print—dated 1734 and now in the Smithsonian American Art Museum—preserves one of his sensitive character studies. Watteau, a leading figure of the early Rococo, was renowned for his delicate handling of line and his ability to convey fleeting emotion with economy and grace. Classified simply as a print, the work likely reproduces an original drawing in another medium, a common practice that helped spread Watteau’s influence across Europe. Such studi...